Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-08
ADVENT URE In A TURKISH HAREM.

Wnlcn DeiieVe mas fallen TO the lot OF few
men. Often, as | passed by the garden
walls of some rich Pasha, / felt, as every
one who visits Constantinople feels, nc
small desire to penetrate into that mys
terious region-his harem and see some
thing more than the mere exterior of Turk
ish life. The traveller landing at STAN
boul complains, used to say to myself
"of the contrast between its external as
pect and the interior of the city; but the
real interior, that is, the inside of the
houses, the guarded retreats of those vailed
forms which one passes in gilded caiques-
of these be sees nothing" Fortune ia
vored my aspirations. l happened to make
acquaintance with a Young Frenchman
| lively, spirited and confident, who had So
iourned at Constantinople for a consider
able time, and who bore there the char
acter of prophet, magician, and | know
not what beside. The fact is, that he
was a very clever fellow, living on his wits,
ever ready to turn his hand to any
thing, and numbering, among his other ac-
compiishments, skill in conjuring feats
extraordinary even in the East. He used
to exhibit frequently before the Sultan, who
always sent him away laden with presents,
and who would, probably, had he protested
| the Mohammedan faith, have made him
his Prime Minister, or his Lord High Ad-
miral.
There was nothing which this conjuror
| could not do. He told me that on one oc-
casion, dining in numerous company, he
had contrived 10 pick the pocket of every
one present depriving one Of his watch,
| another of his purse, and a third of his
| a+ bop of Ac To-
discovered their losses, to which he man
! aged to direct their attention, scene of
| violent excitement ensued, every one &C
cusing his neighbor Of theft and at last it
was agreed that the police should be sent
| for to search the pockets of all present
| The police arrived, and the search
was duly made, bit without any effect
II think" said the young magi-
clan, :" it would be but fair that
! the police should themselves undergo the
same scrutiny to which we have all sub
mitted." The suggestion was Immediately
acted on and TO the amazement of all
present, and especially of the supposed cul-
prits, in the pockets of the police all the
missing articles were found.
| The life of this man had been strange
and eventful. Having quarreled with his
family in early youth, he assumed an in
cognito and enlisted as private soldier,
| forget in what service On one occasion, in
| his first campaign, he was left for dead on
! the field of battle. In the evening some
peasants visited the field for the sake of
| plumber. He was badly wounded. but had
| his wits sufficiently about him to know
! that, if he wished not TO have his throat
| cut, he had better lie still and feign to be
| dead. In his turn he was visited by the
marauders; but, as fame goes, it turned
l,s1a
! few pence he possessed he contrived to
| tighten their pockets of their accumulated
spoil. He had grown tired Of war, and
had settled in Constantin0ple, where he
| embarked in all manner of speculations,
being bent, among other things upon es-
tablishlng theater at Pera. In all re-
verses he came down, like cat, on his
! feet; he was sanguine and good humored,
always disposed to shuttle the cards till the
right one came up; and, trusting a good
deal to Fortune, while he improved what
! she gave, he was of course rich in her good
graceS
One day, this youth called on me, and
mentioned that chance had befallen him
which he should be glad to turn to account
particularly if sure of not making too
| intimate an acquaintance with the Bos-
| phorus in the attempt A certain wealthy
Turk had applied to him for assistance
under very trying domestic circumstances.
His favorte wife had lost precious ring
which had doubtless been stolen either by
one of his other wives, under the influence
of jealousy, or by a female slave. Would
the magician pay a visit 10 his house, re-
cover the ring and expose the delinquent?
| Now" said he, if | once get within the
wall, l will be sure to force my
way into the female apartments on
6 Et,i b, ~ Ill 30
well; but if NOT this Turk will discover
that have been making fool of him
| However. as he is a favorite at court, aud
cannot but know in what fattering estima-
! ton | am held there, be viii probably treat
me with the distinction | deserve. In fine
| will try it. Will you come, too? You
can help me in my incantations, which
will serve as an excuue." This proposal
was too tempting to be rejected, and at the
hour agreed on we set off in such state as
we could command lin the East. state is es-
sential to respectl, jogging over the rough
street in one of those hearse-like carriages
without springs, which brings ones bones
upon terms of far too intimate a mutual
acquaintance.
We reached at last gate. which prom
ised little ; but ere long we found ourselves
in one of those =" high-walled gardens,
green and old, which are among the glo-
ries of the East. Passing between rows of
orange and lemon trees, We reached the
| house. where we were received by
goodly retinue of slaves, and con-
Quoted, accompanied by our drago-
man, through a long suite of apartments.
| In the last of them stood a tall, handsome
and rather youthful man, who welcomed
us with grave courtesy. We took our
seats, and were presented in due form with
| 10,
acceptable. After sufficient interval of
time had passed for the most meditative
and distracted of men to remember his
purpose, our host, reminded of what he
| had apparently forgotten by my compan-
| ions coDjuring robes, an electrical machine,
and other instruments of incarnation,
which the slaves carried from our carriage,
! ciyilly inquired when we intended to COM
mence operations. What operations ?p
demanded my companion, with much APP
parent unconcern. The discovery of the
ring" Whenever his highness might
| please and it suited the female part of his
household to make their appearance, was
| the answer.
At this startling proposition even the
| Oriental sedateness of our majestic host gave
way, and he allowed his establishment and
displeasure to become visible. WHO ever
| heard" he demanded, "of the wives of a
true believer being shown to stranger. and
| that stranger an infdel and Frank? 2" As
much astonished in our turn, we de-
nanded, When magician had ever been
heard of who could discover stolen
treasure without being confronted either
| with the person who had lost or the person
who had appropriated it7" For at least
two hours, though relieved by intervals of
| silence, the battle was carried on, with much
occasional vehemence on his part. and on
| ours with an assumption of perfect indif-
| ference Our host, at last, perceiving that
our obstinacy was equal to the DEGREES Of
| fate retired, as we were informed, to con-
suit his mother on the subject. In few
| minutes he returned and assured us that
| our proposition was ridiculous upon
| which we arose with much dignifed dis
| pleasure, and moved towards the door,
stating that our boards had been made little
of. A grave-tooking man who belonged to
the household of our host, and occupied, APP
parently, a sort of semi ecclesiastical posi-
ton, now interposed, and.after some consul
tation it was agreed that as we were not
] mere men, but prophets, and inidel saints,